


Not As Expected

by cathcer1984



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Violence, M/M, MILD - Freeform, Mpreg, fuck buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 07:11:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13476363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathcer1984/pseuds/cathcer1984
Summary: Scorpius already has one child with Harry thanks to a drunken one night stand. Now, they fall into bed every so often but when Scorpius realises he's pregnant with their second child Scorpius calls off their sex only relationship. He’s determined that he can't raise two children with a man who doesn't love him and who wants him only for sex. Harry has to prove he wants the family life as well.





	Not As Expected

**Author's Note:**

> RE: The domestic violence tag: see end note for more details.
> 
> Beta’d by drarryisgreen

“James!”

There was no answer and Scorpius sighed heavily, when his son was quiet it meant he was doing something he shouldn’t be. Scorpius called out for his son again before he walked through to the living room where his son was standing quietly next to the fireplace, a newly decorated fireplace for James had painted it in his Weasley Wizarding Wheezes Rainbow Paint that changed colour every thirty seconds.

James smiled up at Scorpius his chubby cheeks spread wide to show his gummy smile which turned into a pout as soon as Scorpius raised his eyebrows and he said “James I have told you before. Painting is for paper only. Now you are going to spend four minutes on the naughty chair.”

“NO!” James shouted.

Staring at his son in shock Scorpius blinked, James had never spoken back to him before, or refused punishment. It made Scorpius wonder if his son was being naughty for a reason. “Do you think what you have done is good?”

When James said nothing Scorpius crouched down and looked into his eyes, “Do you think you’ve done a good thing, James?”

Shaking his head so vigorously that his black hair floated above his head James said nothing as his eyes welled with tears. “Oh sweetheart,” Scorpius softened his tone, “Whatever’s the matter?”

“I want Papa!” James cried causing Scorpius to rock forward and pull his son into a hug, smoothing his hair with one hand.

“I know you do sweetheart, I know you want Papa but he’s busy today. He’ll be here tomorrow, I promise.”  
James struggled and pulled away from Scorpius “But I want him now!” he shouted before running out of the room and Scorpius heard him thundering up to his room. Scorpius put his face in his hands and took a few deeps breaths to calm himself, with a flick of his wand he cleaned the paint of the fireplace. Drawing the Floo powder forward Scorpius threw some down into the hearth and he stuck his head into the green flames and said  
“Head Auror’s Office, Ministry for Magic.”

He closed his eyes against the spinning and only opened them when he heard his name. Scorpius looked up into the worried green eyes of Harry Potter.

“Is everything okay? Is it James?”

“He’s fine. Mostly.” Scorpius sighed and looked away from Harry’s face, “Am I interrupting?”

“Only paperwork. Go on.”

“James misses you. I was wondering if you’re still coming over tomorrow like you promised and if you wanted to  
have him all weekend.”

“I-“ Harry looked behind him and his lips pursed for a moment. “How bad is he behaving?”

It was a testament to how close they were as parents, even though they weren’t a couple, Harry also knew James misbehaving was a sign that he wanted to see him. “He’s been on the naughty chair five times these past two days. I’ve not punished him for painting the fireplace because right now he’s sobbing in his room.”  
Harry’s face dropped and he ran a hand through his hair, “I can’t-“

“I’m not asking you to. Just be here tomorrow, Harry, if you pull out again…” Scorpius trailed off and when Harry said nothing he sighed, “I should go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Drawing his head from the Floo Scorpius headed up to James’ room. His son was lying on his bed a stuffed dragon that his grandfather had given him clutched tightly next to his little body and he was fast asleep, exhausted from crying. With a sad smile Scorpius closed the door, casting a charm that would alert him when James woke up.

Not sure whether to go and have a lie down himself or get some of the housework done Scorpius ambled back down the stairs and decided to make a cup of tea. In the kitchen doorway he stopped dead. “What-“

“I delegated.” Harry said simply and smiled, before lifting a glass of water to his mouth.

“What?” Scorpius repeated dumbly.

With a heavy huff of breath Harry put the glass down and faced him, “You looked exhausted on the Floo. Run down, worn out and I realised I haven’t been fair leaving you to deal with James when he’s upset. You need a break and I’m here, I’ve taken tomorrow and the entire weekend off, they aren’t allowed to contact me unless the Minister is killed.”

“Poor Kingsley,” Scorpius murmured and Harry smiled.

“James asleep?”

“Yes.” Scorpius smiled, this was familiar. Harry asking a question he already knew the answer to making sure they wouldn’t be interrupted when he stepped forward to kiss Scorpius. When Harry moved towards him Scorpius took a step back and Harry faltered. This wasn’t how they played the game, when one of them initiated sex the other always allowed it. But now Scorpius was stepping away and trying to change the rules. The look on Harry’s face said enough and Scorpius caved, with a smile he held out his hand waiting for Harry to take it.

Leading the way to his bedroom Scorpius could sense Harry’s anticipation; it had been a relatively long time for both of them. Since James’ birth they’d fallen into bed together with alarming regularity, when one or the other (usually both) needed a release. Harry couldn’t get it elsewhere without fear of a story in The Daily Prophet or without strings attached and Scorpius didn’t have many chances to meet other men, especially with a child.

Harry closed the bedroom door behind them and rushed to grasp Scorpius’ face in his hands before kissing him. It was deep and wet and filthy. Their tongues tangled and their teeth clashed and Harry bit at Scorpius’ lips as Scorpius sucked on Harry’s tongue before they broke apart to pant against each other’s face as their hands grabbed and pulled at robes and grabbed skin.

They tumbled onto the bed and Scorpius spread his legs easily, willingly, for Harry to settle between them. His Harry’s fingers slick with a whispered word, fumbling to stretch Scorpius and get him ready for Harry’s cock.

“Now, Harry. Please, now!”

When Harry removed his fingers to slick his cock, Scorpius felt his rim flutter until he felt the head of Harry’s cock pressing against him. Drawing his knees up to his chest Scorpius held his legs apart allowing Harry to push into him until he could go no further.

Harry’s forehead rested against his collarbone and pressed kisses to the soft skin just above Scorpius’ heart before drawing back and pushing back in. The pace was slower than their earlier frantic rush to get to each other, and Scorpius reached up to clutch at the back of Harry’s head his fingers slipping amongst the locks holding on as Harry pounded into him with strong, slow, hard thrusts.

“Uh,” Harry groaned as he picked up the pace and he bit at Scorpius’ skin as he came.

Scorpius’ channel clenched around Harry’s spurting cock and Harry’s hand was soon gripping and pumping at Scorpius’ cock until he came in hot spurts over his chest. He relished in the way Harry’s head immediately moved to lap up his come.

Pushing Harry away was easy. He did it most of the time, or Harry would push him away, they never lingered after sex. Scorpius sat up to straighten his clothes and cast a cleaning charm over each of them. Then he cast a tempus charm, saw that James had only been a sleep for forty minutes and if he wasn’t awake in another twenty then Scorpius would go and wake him up.

He stood and looked at Harry who was straightening the bed covers, “Fancy a cup of tea?”

“Love a cup,” Harry grinned and they left the bedroom. In the kitchen Scorpius had set the kettle to boil pulled out the teapot when a soft charm sounded signalling that James was awake.

“James is up.”

Harry nodded and half moved away from the counter he was leaning against, “Shall I go?”

“If you want.” For as sure as they were of each other during sex they were, most times, overly polite when it came to James and the decisions that needed to be made for him. With a nod Harry made his way through Scorpius’ house and to James’ room, Scorpius listened out for James’ squeal of laughter when he saw his papa.

While the tea simmered in the pot, Scorpius got the mugs ready along with a glass of milk for James when Harry brought him down. Scorpius once again, had to stop and take a breath, to remind himself that no matter how much he wanted it they were not a family. Harry was not his partner, barely even his friend, they just have sex. A lot of sex because it’s the only way they knew how to communicate.

When Scorpius was twenty he’d gone to a club with some friends, not looking for anyone to take home, he’d stayed at the bar. He’d started talking with Harry and they’d danced before Harry had taken him home and fucked him. It was two months later that Scorpius had found out he was pregnant, his father had been furious, and Scorpius had shamefully hunted down Harry at the Ministry to tell him.

It hadn’t gone well and Scorpius had left angry and hurt that the Boy Who Lived was nothing more than a coward and even though Scorpius hadn’t cared for him, he wanted the other man to want his child. It wasn’t until James had been born that Harry had started to come around, he’d offered for Scorpius and James to live with him. Scorpius had said no, too comfortable in his home that his father had brought.

For four years, Harry and Scorpius kept a steady sexual relationship, and a polite distance outside of it. However, when Scorpius saw Harry and James together, he couldn’t help but fall in love with Harry Potter, the dad.

Scorpius awoke from his daydream when he heard footsteps that alerted him to Harry and James making their way down the stairs. He quickly wiped his hands over his face and poured the tea into the cups, adding two teaspoons of sugar to Harry’s as he came round the door with James clinging to his neck and chattering away.

Harry looked at him closely but said nothing. He picked up James’ milk leaving Scorpius to follow to the lounge with their teas.

That night was the first night that both Harry and Scorpius put James to bed. James rested his head on the pillow and tugged his dragon close. “Will you be here tomorrow Papa?”

“I’ll be here when you wake up,” Harry said, “I promise.” He kissed James on the cheek before moving back to  
let Scorpius say goodnight.

They both left the room and Scorpius said, “You’ll need to be here before six if you want to keep your promise.”

With a grin, Harry moved to stand in front of Scorpius and slid a hand down his chest to cup his cock. “Actually, I hadn’t planned on leaving.”

“Even better.” Scorpius smirked and pulled Harry away from their son’s bedroom door and down to the living room where Scorpius rode Harry hard and fast on the sofa.

“Fuck,” Harry gasped after he’d come down from his orgasmic high.

With a chuckle Scorpius got off Harry’s lap and collapsed on the sofa next to him, he bit his lip to keep from giggling at the sight of Harry’s limp cock, slick with lube and come, hanging out of his trousers. Wriggling, Scorpius knew he was just as debauched, Harry’s come was seeping out of his hole, which was stretched and probably just as wet as Harry’s cock.

“Come on,” Scorpius heaved himself to his feet, “I need my bed.”

“Oh. Right okay I’ll-“

“And,” Scorpius drew the word out, “I need your cock again.”

Harry’s face lifted immediately and he grinned broadly as he stood his cock swelling slightly to swing heavily.  
“You’re insatiable.”

“It’s been a long time.”

“Indeed it has,” Harry agreed and he pulled Scorpius to him. He kissed him roughly as he slipped three fingers into Scorpius’ already stretched and slick hole. “Fuck, what you do to me, Scorpius.”

 

***

 

The following morning Scorpius woke up feeling too hot, lethargic and sick. He sluggishly pushed away from Harry’s furnace like body and the motion made his stomach roll and he left the bed for the en suite barely making it to the toilet before he was vomiting into it.

Taking a few deep breaths Scorpius calmed himself before standing and fumbling for the tap to wash his face and mouth. He flushed the toilet and left the bedroom, it was near enough to the time that James would be awake,  
Scorpius glanced at Harry lying on his back snoring softly.

Scorpius had the kettle on for a cup of tea for Harry when James came into the kitchen.

“Morning sweetheart.”

“Where’s papa? He said he’d be here.”

Smiling Scorpius said “And he is. He’s sleeping in daddy’s bed, why don’t you go wake him up?”

James let out a loud yell before hurtling towards Scorpius’ bedroom, he listened as James squealed with laughter and he heard Harry’s booming laugh before the two made their way to the kitchen.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go and play in the living room while I make your breakfast?” Scorpius suggested before adding, “Then we can get you ready for your day with papa.”

Excitedly James grinned, so like Harry, and ran into the lounge. Harry leant against the counter and sipped at the tea Scorpius handed over, “You alright?”

“Fine, why?”

“No reason,” Harry lied. Scorpius realised that he must have heard him throwing up that morning, he should have known better to think he had fooled an Auror.

“You still okay to have James today?”

“Course.”

And nothing more was said, they both knew that their affair was over for now, until one of them caved and initiated sex again. Harry and James left after an hour and Scorpius had time for a leisurely shower and to get some housework done before he had to leave.

 

***

 

It was easy to sneak into Saint Mungo’s without anyone seeing him, people didn’t really care for Scorpius but the fact that he was the carrying-father to Harry Potter’s son would have made him newsworthy and being seen at Saint Mungo’s was cause for gossip. And Scorpius didn’t want Harry to find out through someone else, especially when he was quite certain it wasn’t going to be happy news.

“Mister Malfoy? Follow me,” the mediwitch said and Scorpius stood to follow her she showed him into a familiar office that he hadn’t been in for four years. “The Healer will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you” Scorpius sat down by the desk and waited.

“I never thought I’d see you in here again.” An amused voice called from the doorway, with a chuckle Scorpius stood and hugged his Healer, and friend.

“Hello Ginny.”

“Sit down, tell me about it. Are you here because you’re sure or because you aren’t?”

Scorpius sat and looked at Ginny, her red hair was pulled up into a messy bun, her smile kind and her eyes were bright. The crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes only served to make her seem happier; unlike Harry, his were a testament to the stresses he’d suffered.

She was also the only friend Scorpius and Harry had in common.

“Because I’m sure.”

She smiled sympathetically. “Harry’s?” When Scorpius opened his mouth to answer she cut him off, “Of course, because he’s the only person you fall into bed with.”

“I only want official confirmation and dates before I go to him with the news.”

Ginny narrowed her eyes and put her wand on the desk and shifted her chair so she was sat directly in front of him. Taking both his hands in hers she said “You aren’t telling me something. You know I won’t tell Harry. Whatever is said here is between us; while you’re here I’m not Harry’s friend. I’m only yours.”

Nodding Scorpius whispered, “I’m going to end it.”

“End what?”

“Our… sex habits. I can’t keep fucking him when I want it or when he wants it. I need more, now, and James deserves stability. He’s getting to an age when he’s asking why his papa isn’t home all the time and why his daddy and his papa don’t always spend the night together like all his other friends’ parents. It has to stop.”

“I’m glad you’ve come to that decision. You’re right it does need to stop because neither of you are happy with this sex only thing you have going on. Are you aware that neither of you has had a relationship since Jamie was born? No, well besides each other, you’re both single and this four year one night stand is getting on my nerves!” Ginny laughed and drew away after one final squeeze of Scorpius’ hands. “Right, let’s get this test done shall we? Then we can talk about what potions you need and what precautions you’ll need to take. They will be different this time because now you’ve got James and he’s coming to an age where his magic will show itself in stressful times and that could be bad.”

“Of course.”

After twenty minutes Scorpius left Ginny’s office. He promised her a catch up the following week outside the hospital. With a mildly distracted air about him Scorpius made his way through the hospital. He was shocked when he stepped from the lifts on the first Floor to see a pair of Aurors waiting to see a Healer. One of them was Harry.

Immediately Scorpius stormed over to them and whispered harshly into Harry’s surprised face, “Where is my son?”

“Scorpius?” Harry asked shocked before answering Scorpius’ question when he narrowed his eyes. “James? He’s with your dad. What are you doing here?” Harry grinned, “You have some free time?”

“No.”

Harry blinked. Scorpius knew what Harry was angling towards but it was the first time Scorpius had turned him down, “No,” Scorpius repeated. “Because we’re not doing that anymore, okay?”

“No,” Harry grabbed Scorpius’ arm to keep him from walking away. “No, not okay. What’s this about?”

“I’m done.” Scorpius spat, yanking his arm from Harry’s grip and walked away. His heart was beating painfully and rapidly in his chest. Clenching his fingers against his sweaty palms Scorpius left the hospital uncaring of who saw him and disapparated away to his childhood home.

Malfoy Manor was as impressive to Scorpius as it had been, the first time he’d seen it on his way back from Hogwarts for Christmas. It always sent a thrill through him and as he entered the home. Scorpius smiled at the scent of wood and violets in the air, an old reminder from his childhood, the smell of his parents.

Following the sound of his son’s squeals, Scorpius came to the drawing room and saw that his mother was tickling James relentlessly. She paused when he came in, but before James could see him or stop laughing Draco pulled him away and into his study.

“I’m sorry, Father-“

“What for?”

“Harry. He was supposed to have James all weekend, and he’s dumped James on you again to go to work.  
It’s not fair to you and Mother.”

“You know we’re happy to have him whenever.”

Scorpius sighed, “It’s not the point. He should commit to his son but he never does! And I’m not having it anymore.”

“You’re stopping him from see-“

“No, course not. I don’t know what I’m going to do, I really don’t. But, I can’t keep telling James he’s spending the day, the weekend with his papa only to find that he’s spent hours with you and Mother, or Molly and Arthur. It’s not fair to James.”

Draco inclined his head, “No it isn’t. However I have a feeling this is about more than Potter’s incompetence as a father.”

“He’s not incompetent!” Scorpius retorted, “He’s just-“ he couldn’t finish. He didn’t know what Harry was but it wasn’t something that Scorpius could have him be anymore.

“Harry Potter.” Draco finished and Scorpius looked up at his father. “I understand the infatuation, he’s larger than life. Always has been, however that doesn’t mean I want to see you throw your life away for him.”

“I’m not throwing away my life,” Scorpius said petulantly.

“You are Scorpius. Every time you have sex with him you’re letting yourself get under his control again and your life gets pushed to the side.” He held up a hand to stop Scorpius from saying anything, “Now, I have said my piece and I shan’t say any more about it.”

Scorpius nodded and stood, leading his father out of the study and back to the drawing room, where James was now painting with his fingers on some paper and Astoria was kneeling on the Floor beside him doing the same.

“Daddy!” James shot up and rushed towards Scorpius who scooped his son up into a hug uncaring of the paint that was getting transferred from James’ hands to his hair and clothes. “Where’s Papa?”

“He’s working sweetheart.”

James buried his head in Scorpius’ neck, sniffing loudly.

“Sweetheart, do you want to go home?”

James nodded, his face still in Scorpius’ neck. Scorpius pressed a kiss to his son’s hair before smiling sadly at his parents before he headed to the Floo. When they tumbled out the other end Scorpius was shocked to see Harry waiting in his Auror robes. He stepped forward and said “James-“ but when his son pressed against Scorpius, Harry’s face fell and he took a step back.

“I’m sorry. I am, I know I promised you all weekend but there was a bad man, and he was hurting people. I couldn’t live with myself if you or daddy got hurt because I didn’t do my job. Do you understand James?”

Again James nodded but he still didn’t let go of Scorpius who ignored Harry in favour of sitting on the sofa and holding his son tightly. Harry watched them with a look of pain and hurt etched onto his face. Scorpius knew that when his child, who usually wouldn’t leave Harry alone, was not even looking at Harry killed him.

“Alright sweetheart, why don’t you go and play with your toys?”

Slowly James shuffled from Scorpius’ lap and ran up to his room, by passing Harry who watched James go. “I-“ He said helplessly and Scorpius summoned a piece of parchment, quill and ink and guided them towards Harry.

“Write him a letter.”

“What?”

“Write to him. Write why you were hardly around when he was growing up. Write to your son and explain why his papa found catching a thief more important than spending time with him.” Scorpius kept his voice level but by the way Harry flinched it was obvious that his anger had shown through. He left the room but didn’t stray too far, and he sank down against the wall when he heard the scratching of the quill on parchment.

After a while of listening to Harry write, Scorpius made his way to see how James was doing. His son looked up and smiled at Scorpius as he entered the room, “Sweetheart I need to talk to you about Papa.”

“Don’t wanna.”

Sighing Scorpius pulled James towards him, “I know you don’t but you know how sad it makes you when Papa leaves you early or doesn’t come at all. But the next time you see him you’re so happy you love giving him cuddles. Well, James, Papa needs a cuddle from you now.”

James turned his face towards Scorpius and chewed his lip, a habit he’d learnt from Harry. He pressed a kiss to Scorpius’ cheek before climbing off his lap and headed downstairs. Scorpius followed and watched from the doorway as James walked up to Harry and pulled himself into his papa’s lap. He flung his arms around Harry’s neck and gave him a tight hug, Harry’s shoulders dropped with relief and he cuddled James back.

“Love you Papa.”

“I love you to James. So much” Harry whispered and Scorpius took a step back his hand on his stomach. They hadn’t discussed how Scorpius had left Harry at the hospital and they would need to address it but not right now.

Harry stayed the rest of the day with Scorpius and James and after they’d both put him to bed Harry went into the kitchen and came out with two glasses of wine. Scorpius took the one offered to him and almost immediately placed it on the table, Harry frowned but said nothing.

He moved slowly to the chair and watched Scorpius who fidgeted under his gaze. “Do you want to talk?”

“We need to talk.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Harry said with a wry smile.

Scorpius turned his face away and didn’t answer. The rustle of fabric indicated that Harry had stood and he said softly “I think that’s my cue to go. I just-“ he turned from the Floo to look at Scorpius who couldn’t meet his eyes. “Just let me know if- is there someone else?”

Surprised Scorpius stared at Harry, “I- I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“If he’s anywhere near my son it’s my business. If you’re fucking me while you’re fucking him it’s my business.”

“There doesn’t have to be anyone else for me to stop fucking you Harry. I made a decision and I’m sticking to it.”

Harry stepped forward and into Scorpius’ personal space “There must a reason. This has been going on for four years, if you were going to stop you would have done so earlier. What’s changed?”

Scrambling to his feet Scorpius levelled their heights and he glared into Harry’s face, “You’ve changed Harry. You would spend days with James and now it seems like you can’t even cope for two hours! Dumping him on whoever is available, be it my parents or yours. And the terrible part is that James is picking up on it! Maybe if you’re not coming around here for sex, you’ll come around here for your son!”

Scorpius was surprised by the sting in his cheek from where Harry had backhanded him. “Don’t you dare say anything like that to me again. I love my son and don’t you dare-“ Harry cut himself off and snarled in Scorpius’ face before turning and stepping on the spot, disapparating through the wards leaving Scorpius to collapse on the sofa clutching his stinging cheek as he cried.

 

***

 

Harry was fuming when he got home and he tried to calm his temper and his magic, he had a huge shock when the lights lit and he hadn’t magicked them to.

He turned and spotted Draco Malfoy sitting in his favourite chair. “How the fuck are you in my home, Malfoy?”

“I’m the Black heir. Blood always trumps magic. Even wards.” Draco rose smoothly from the chair and Harry clenched his hand about his wand.

“I’m not in the mood, Malfoy.” Harry warned.

“No, I can see that. Did my son not, ah, relieve you of your tension?” He asked mockingly, “Or has he finally seen sense and-“ Draco couldn’t finish for there was a wand pressing against his Adam’s apple.

“I’m going to ask you one last time. Why are you here?”

Swallowing Draco looked Harry in the eyes and said “I want you to stay away from Scorpius’ bed. I want you to let my son get on with his life and I want you to stop breaking his heart.”

Harry searched Draco face for any sign of deception, “Break his heart?” Harry scoffed.

“Scorpius is in love with you.”

He lowered his wand and sank into the nearest seat. Harry was overwhelmed; he had no idea that Scorpius wanted more from Harry, from their relationship. But when he thought to how happy Scorpius was when he saw Harry and James together, how relaxed he was when the three of them spent time together, how the sex they had after they’d both put James to bed was slower, softer and more intimate. “I- I didn’t know.”

“I suspected as much. Don’t do anything to hurt my son or I’ll hex your bollocks off.” Draco glared before he left for the front door; Harry heard the pop of his apparation from the drawing room.

With a sigh Harry stood and walked down to the kitchen, wishing he had someone he could confide in. Usually he’d talk with Scorpius, who would listen and respond either with a comment or silence depending on how Harry felt and Scorpius was able to read him better than anyone. He needed that.

“Fuck” Harry muttered. He couldn’t stop thinking, couldn’t drown out the voices in his head, each telling him that he’d fucked up but none offered any solution as to how to make things better with Scorpius. How to get his friendship back, if he wanted it the same or wanted something more Harry wasn’t sure and he’d have to think about it.

 

***

 

A month later and Scorpius still hadn’t seen Harry. He’d been feeling guilty about it but it was his decision and Harry was respecting it. He would pick James up from the Manor and he’d leave him there at the end of their weekend before Scorpius could collect him.

He arrived at the Manor five minutes after Harry was supposed to have dropped James off but found only his parents waiting. “What’s going on?”

Astoria rushed towards him and engulfed him in a hug, “We don’t know. We’ve not heard, we’re- we’re fearing the worst.”

Scorpius gulped, “You think he’s taken James?”

Any response Draco or Astoria were about to make was cut off by the presence of an owl. It was unlike any owl Scorpius had seen, it was twice the size of a barn owl and its feathers seemed to have blue tinge to them. Attached to its leg was a scroll that Scorpius took wearily. The owl flew out of the window another letter appearing on its leg, replacing the one Scorpius took, and flying off to find the next patient’s emergency contact.

“It’s a Saint Mungo’s emergency owl,” Draco said and Scorpius ripped open the envelope.

He read the letter twice, “Harry’s been injured. There’s nothing about James, I should-“ he never finished his sentence and rushed to the Floo, he disappeared in whirl of green flames.

As he arrived at Saint Mungo’s he made his way up to the spell damage ward, as the letter had instructed, when he got there Scorpius saw James was sitting with a mediwitch face pale and tear tracks down his cheeks.

“James!” Scorpius called and he was extremely relieved to hold his son in his arms after James had run to him.  
Turning to the mediwitch Scorpius said “I got an emergency owl, for Harry Potter.”

She smiled, “Right this way,” and led him down the corridor.

“May I ask, who gets the emergency owls?”

“It is standard procedure for all of the DMLE to inform the hospital of who their next of kin is and if something major happens to them, we in turn let the next of kin know.”

“But who is next of kin?”

“Anyone the Auror chooses. Their parent, brother, sister, spouse, best friend. It’s not our place to question who they choose, we only need to know who to contact. Here you go,” she said as she stopped outside a room.  
“Auror Potter is in there.”

“Thank you,” Scorpius said before opening the door and clutching tightly to James who had fallen asleep on Scorpius’ shoulder. On the only bed in the room was Harry, his face was clear and his eyes were closed.  
The rest of him was covered in a white hospital blanket; Scorpius took the seat next to the bed and waited. Harry groaned and his eyes fluttered open, he smiled when he saw Scorpius and James and asked “What happened?”

“I was hoping you’d be able to tell me that.” Scorpius reached out and squeezed Harry’s hand, needing to assure himself that Harry was fine. He felt Harry’s fingers clench around his before he let go, “I received an emergency owl from here, about you. I came straight away.”

“I don’t remember much, just purple light and James; I had to keep James safe.” Harry frowned and he looked at his son. “I-“

“Shush, Harry. Just go to sleep, we’ll be here.”

With a tired smile Harry held up his hand and Scorpius took it before Harry sank slowly into slumber.

Throughout the night James would wake up scared and he’d cling to Scorpius who would turn him so he could see  
Harry and see that he was alright. When James was asleep again Scorpius would hold him close and keep a tight grip on him. Whatever had happened to Harry and James must have been terrifying for them and Scorpius only hoped he could help them both.

By the time light started to filter in through the window in Harry’s room Scorpius was exhausted. He’d barely had any sleep with James waking every couple of hours and sleeping fitfully in between. Harry woke and smiled at Scorpius, “Hi.”

“Hullo,” Scorpius yawned.

“I didn’t think you’d stay all night.”

“James had nightmares; he needed to see you were okay.”

Harry grinned, he knew that was only half the reason Scorpius stayed. They were both quiet, and when James woke he wanted to be by Harry so Scorpius settled him down against Harry’s side and he fell back asleep finally comfortable on a bed and satisfied that Harry was alright.

There was a quiet knock on the door and it opened to reveal Ron who grinned, “Fancy a visitor?”

“I’d prefer an explanation” Harry said, his hand stroking James’ head gently.

“Scorpius.”

“Hello Ron. How’s the family?”

“Good, Rose is working well in Auror training. Hugo’s in Romania with Charlie and Hermione’s the same, still researching.” Ron grinned and Scorpius couldn’t help but smile back. For all the rockiness that he’d had with Harry, Scorpius had formed a polite friendship with Ron as well as Hermione. It helped that Rose was his best friend through Hogwarts and he’d spent a great deal of time at their house over the summer months.

“Ron,” Harry spoke, his tone harsh.

“Right, well, McNab the kidnapper, he’d been targeting Aurors’ children for two years now,” he explained to Scorpius. “We’ve never had anything on him. We reckon he must have been desperate, he had been tracking you and yesterday he made his move. You got in the way of his hex for James, it would have paralysed the little tyke but because you’re bigger it just slowed your heart and lungs.”

“Did we get him?”

“Yeah mate, we got him.”

Scorpius looked back and forth between the two them, he saw something in Harry’s face that made him ask, “Hang on a minute. You knew this guy was watching you and you still went out in public with James? You used my son as bait?”

Furious, Scorpius left Harry’s room without waiting for a response and made his way towards the entrance he had to get of there, it was suffocating him. He only stopped when he felt a hand on his arm and heard Ginny say his name, immediately he collapsed onto her chest and sobbed.

She whispered soothingly to him as she led him to her office where he was able to gain some composure. “Is this about what Harry did with Jamie?”

Scorpius wiped at his eyes with his hands, “How could he do that? Put his own son in danger like that.”

“Because Harry would die before anything happened to Jamie.”

“Yes, and what if he had died and hadn’t been able to take the guy down. What then?” Scorpius growled and Ginny flinched.

“I don’t know. But it didn’t happen, Scorpius, it didn’t happen and you need to keep a hold of that otherwise you’d go mad thinking about all the what-ifs.”

With a sigh Scorpius nodded, “You’re right. It’s just my paternal instinct kicking in, he’s my little my boy.”

Ginny smiled softly and patted his hand, “Come on let’s get you back to Harry and James. He’ll be clingy for a few days and won’t want either of you out of his sight.”

“Are you talking about Harry or James?” Scorpius quipped.

“Both. Either, they’re the same that way.”

Scorpius said nothing as they walked back to Harry’s room, stopping off to get cups of tea from the café. When they entered Harry’s room Scorpius was glad they’d gone to get tea because James was awake and asking Harry where his daddy was.

“Here he is, and with a proper cup of tea too.” Harry grinned, his eyes lingered on Scorpius’ face who hoped that his eyes weren’t red and that it wasn’t obvious that he’d been crying.

Ginny handed Harry a cup and took the seat Scorpius had spent the night in, leaving Scorpius to either stand or sit on Harry’s bed. As Scorpius sat tentatively by Harry’s feet, James climbed over his legs to sit on Scorpius’ lap and Ginny said, “Where’s my brother? I thought he was with you?”

“Had to go in to work and question McNab,” Harry answered.

There was an uneasy silence and Scorpius carefully sipped his tea cautious to not spill any on James, though he sat still and kept his eyes on Harry. Ginny made small talk until she finished her tea, she banished the cup and stood. As she kissed Harry on the cheek, she whispered in his ear, he glanced at Scorpius before nodding and smiled at her.

Ginny then kissed Scorpius on the cheek and held out her arms to James, “Do I get a hug Jamie?”

He looked up at Scorpius and then at Harry, both nodded and he climbed across Harry’s legs and gave Ginny a hug, she cuddled him and pressed a kiss to James’ hair before letting him again. “I’ll see you soon Jamie, and I’ll see you next week for your check-up Scorpius.”

Scorpius’ eyes went wide and Ginny bit her lip as Harry sat up straighter and stared between the two of them. James settled himself in Scorpius’ lap unaware of the tension amongst the adults.

“What?” Harry said and instantly repeated himself.

Ginny flustered, “I’m sorry. I thought you’d told him-“

“Told me!” Harry shouted, causing James to jump in Scorpius’ lap and Harry lowered his voice. “When was he supposed to have told me, Gin? He hasn’t spoken to me, hasn’t seen me for weeks!”

He then looked at Scorpius and growled, “How long have you known? How far along are you?”

“I’ve been sure for two months.”

“And.”

“And I’m four months along.”

Harry turned his face away, his jaw clenched. “Were you ever going to tell me?” He hesitated and then asked, “It is mine isn’t it?”

“Of course I was going to tell you. And of course it’s yours. I just didn’t think you’d be interested until the … birth,” Scorpius said cautiously with a glance down at James’ head but he was busy playing with Harry’s feet under the blankets. “You weren’t last time.”

“I wasn’t in love with you last time.”

Scorpius blinked. He opened his mouth but nothing would come out. He couldn’t breathe, he needed to get out of there and he dropped his tea on the floor and ran, ignoring Ginny calling his name.

 

***

 

Harry was discharged from the hospital at midday with a promise to the Healer that he’d take it easy. He and James slowly made their way down to the apparation point and from there they made their way to Grimmauld Place.

“Where’s daddy?” James asked for the hundredth time that morning and Harry still had no answer for him. This must have been what it was like for Scorpius when Harry didn’t keep his word and take James, having no idea how to respond and feeling awful about it.

“I don’t know, James.” Harry knelt down before his son and brushed a hand through his hair, “I’m sorry but I don’t know where he is. We can try Flooing Nana and Pops and Granny and Gramps to see if they’ve seen him. Would you like to do that?”

“Yeah.” Harry went to the fireplace and held James before him as he Flooed Malfoy Manor. “Nana!” James shouted and soon Draco was kneeling before the fireplace.

“Potter? James?”

“Have you seen daddy, Pops?” James asked.

Draco looked at Harry who shook his head slightly, trying to silently indicate that they hadn’t seen Scorpius and he didn’t want James to worry or panic.

“Not since yesterday I’m afraid,” Draco said. “But he if turns up I’ll let you know straight away.”

“Thank you,” Harry said and pulled James from the Floo before following. They called the Burrow, because Harry brought Scorpius and James with him to all birthdays at the Burrow and he’d become like another grandson for Molly and Arthur.

Molly answered the Floo and when she found out that Harry had just come out of hospital and was looking after James alone immediately offered to come over and cook them dinner. Harry declined and they withdrew from the Floo.

“Let’s get some lunch and have it in the drawing room shall we James? Then we can make a nice cup of tea for daddy. How does that sound?”

James smiled and Harry made them sandwiches, soon after they left the kitchen and went up to the drawing room. James had just started eating and Harry had picked up his sandwich to take a bite when a knock sounded. “Stay here, James while papa answers the door.”

“Okay.”

Making sure James was safe Harry left the room to open the door.

“I’m sorry,” Scorpius said. He looked a mess, his hair was all over the place his eyes were red and puffy and Harry didn’t have the heart to turn him away. Scorpius made his way to the drawing room immediately and Harry heard James cry out happily as he shut the door.

“Daddy!”

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I’m so sorry I left like that.”

“Why did you daddy?”

Scorpius looked at Harry over James’ dark hair, “I got scared.”

“Scared? Of what?” James asked in the way that only four year old boys could, there was nothing in his world that was scary and therefore there was nothing that should scare Scorpius.

“I got scared of being happy. Of having everything I’d ever wanted.” He looked up at Harry then, his eyes imploring, “And I do want it.”

Harry strode across the floor and bent down and cupped the back of Scorpius’ head and kissed him, ignoring the burning in his chest as his heart pounded and his breathing was sparse. Scorpius clutched at him and James wriggled out from between them, “Ew! That’s gross!” He giggled and Scorpius pulled away and Harry sank to the floor gasping.

“You better be sure. Because I don’t take lightly to love.”

“Neither do I.” Scorpius turned to Harry and stroked a finger down the side of his face. “I love you Harry, so much. It’s why I broke our… arrangement. I couldn’t keep pretending to be detached anymore.”

“Only reason I kept it going for so long was because I thought that was the only way I’d get to have you.”  
Scorpius smiled and leant his head on Harry’s shoulder, “You’ve always had me Harry. From that first kiss.”

Harry knew he had a smug smile on his face but he couldn’t help it. He was getting the family he’d always dreamt of and that was more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Harry backhands Scorpius across the cheek.


End file.
